Westridge Gardens was filled with colour on Thursday as more
than 100 women attended an annual initiative hosted by the Muslim Judicial
Council (MJC).

In commemoration of Pink Hijab Day, usually celebrated
annually on 30 October, the MJC Women’s Forum (MJCWF) arranged a picnic one
week earlier, due to the increase in the number of events hosted in celebration
of the international movement.

This year, the women-only event was a picnic where women
from all over the city were encouraged to wear a pink scarf.

The initiative is in support of Breast Cancer Awareness
Month and is intended to remove stereotypes of Muslim women by having them
engage in dialogue about breast cancer awareness.

“This year, we wanted to take the programme into nature,
hence the picnic at the Westridge Gardens. We chose Mitchell’s Plain to keep
the event in one of our localities, bringing it closer to home,” says the
chairperson of the MJCWF, Mualima Khadija Patel-Allie, in a statement.

“An important message to our sisterhood, one we’d like to
emphasise, is that if you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, there is
definitely no shame in it, neither is it a death sentence,” Patel-Allie
continues.

“Awareness of the symptoms of breast cancer is therefore so
important so that we can self-examine and be conscious of the signs. This is
one of the main reasons for our campaign.”

The forum is also engaging high schools to encourage
teachers to speak to students about breast cancer and how to cope as a young
caregiver.

The event was a resounding success, building on the
successes of previous events, says MJC first deputy president Moulana Abdul
Khaliq.

“[If not for] our respected mothers and sisters in Islam,
men would not be around. We are here because you are here. Women, you are a
very special creation of Allah. We are all created by Allah, but with creating
women, you brought almost the completion of men,” said Khaliq at the event.

He also shared a message on behalf of the MJC president,
Shaykh Irafaan Abrahams, who was unable to attend.“He wanted to thank the MJCWF
for their passionate commitment to women’s matters,” said Khaliq.

“I am proud to say at last year’s Pink Hijab Day, it was
driven by the women. There was not a woman on the executive of the MJC. A
historic decision took place in April when the MJC decided to bring the first
ever woman to be appointed of the MJC executive. This is all in the vision of
the MJC president. On this front, we would like to commend the MJCWF for their
passionate work they do for the wellbeing of women.”

He saluted the founders of the initiative.

“This initiative, Pink Hijab Day, has a history behind it.
The mere fact that we are here today, sitting in pink, is a point of solidarity
and support. We want to say to the mothers and sisters [suffering] that you are
not alone. In your silent moments, when you find yourselves in a tight
situation where you are alone, you are not alone. As the MJC, we are compelled
to stand with you. You are creating awareness here, a discussion around a
matter that is not only close to women, but to men too,” said Khaliq.

The campaign was brought to South Africa by Humairah Jassat,
whose aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer but was too shy to speak about it.

Patel-Alie also spoke at the event, encouraging the
women.“This is such a beautiful day that Allah has made and he has chosen us
[to make a difference] at this event. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month
and in our lives we know someone who has been diagnosed, been through the
treatment or had a mastectomy and we have seen the emotional toll it takes on
the sisters. There is a lot of information out there, yet it can still feel
like a death sentence to be diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said.

“It is a test and a challenge [for us women]. Even though
men are also diagnosed, it is the one cancer most commonly found in women.
Breast cancer is a harrowing experience. You find a lump and in a space of
weeks or days you are without a portion of your body. It is not any part of
your body, it is the part of your body that speaks to your femininity. I think
it is important for us as women to say this to one another. Having breast
cancer is not the end of our lives.

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